Surat Thani to Phang Nga

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Wat Tham Singkhon is a very beautiful ancient cave with antique porcelain and paintings adorned walls. There is a big buddha statue inside called "Phra Malai" which a faith respect for the Tham Singkhon parish people and near. An ancient Srivichai stupa enshrined is on front of an ancient cave. There are many beautiful stalactites with water canal setting under of a cave flowing into Bang Narai canal.

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Klong Nam Sai means clear water canal. It is about 2-3 km from the hot springs in Tham Singkhon sub district, Khiri Ratnikhom in Surat Thani Province. The supernatural is the canal was from underground natural fountain with 1 meter wide, Water sprung up from underground with environment trees, bamboos and other occur natural trees on both side of canal. There is a little tarnished rock in a creek and assumed a mineral water. Local people call this the Misleading Canal because are dark skin will get a little bit white skin after while swimming within 3 minutes.

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The huge Chiew Lan Lake is formed by Rajjaprabha Dam. The dam was built in 1982, it is 94 meters high and 761 meters in length. Most of Chiew Lan Lake is part of Khao Sok National Park. At the far end some river valleys belong to Klong Saeng Wildlife Reserve.
The reservoir covers an area of 185 square kilometers. The lake offers an incomparably breathtaking view of limestone mountains and over 200 small islands.
Rajjaprabha Dam is about 70 km west from Surat Thani.

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Wat Tham Wararam is small water stream flowing to Khlong Sok. There is a enshrined Buddha statue for visitors to worship the prosperity, The cave is penetrative to Khlong Sok river with waterfront. It has many kinds of fish upstream waiting for food from tourist. There is 1 km from Keaw cave a famous cave of Khlong Pranom national park.

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Khao Sok Nation Park is one of the most beautiful national parks in Thailand because of Its majestic scenery and biological diversity.The park is named by local "Gui – Lin of Thailand", which refers to a very beautiful place in China. The Royal Forest Department declared Khao Sok as the 22nd national park of Thailand on December 22nd, 1980.

The Bua Phut The biggest flower in Thailand with a diameter in the neighborhood of 50-90 cm. This parasitic plant sucks water from the roots and the trunk of a climber called Yarnkaitom. Only the flower of Bua Phut, sticks out from the ground in the rainy season or other times when the soil is highly humid. It takes 9 months to grow from the size of a small button to a larger one, only to bloom for no longer than 7 days a year. Bua Phut flowers can be seen throughout the year but they bloom mostly from November to April.

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The Khaosok Viewpoint is a small viewpoint with large scenery.From the view point you can see Phandhurat Mountain. The mountain sprawls from north to south, Its a very similar view of Giant Phandhurat corpse in SangThong literature. It is a natural beauty with a magical of tragedies in a legendary story.

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The restaurant of Arts Riverview Lodge looks out to Sok River and a huge rock on the other side covered in dense forest. The river forms a natural swimming pool here that is any time suitable for swimming. At unpredictable times of the day a group of monkeys comes down the rock to frolic beside and in the water, a wonderful attraction for visitors who happen to be here at the same time. Some monkeys have learned to catch bananas thrown in their direction and even dive for them if they missed them. Come and swim with the monkeys!

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The location is at Soi Bang Klang, Moo 4, Rommanee sub district, Kapong,
Phang Nga 82170.
The distance from Kapong district about 26 kilometers.

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In the village of Pak Le in Kapong District the local temple Wat Narai Nikaram contains not only the normal temple buildings but also a very attractive local museum painstakingly set up by the head monk.
A modern building houses an interesting large local museum with exhibits from the last century: household goods, pottery, electric equipment, cutlery and tools and many more.
It displays also the statues of Indian origin that were found in Takua Pa River. These statues are nearly 2000 years old. They were brought to Takua Pa by merchant ships from India. The vessels could only navigate with the wind and thus were forced to wait in Takua Pa for several months until the monsoon winds changed. For their religious needs the merchants built small temples and equipped them with statues from their home country. Some vessels capsized in heavy storms and deposited the stone statues in the river. In the last century divers found and recovered them. Some of them are in immaculate condition. The originals of the main statues are said to be exhibited in the National Museum in Bangkok. Copies of these statues are also displayed in the central park of Takua Pa. They are said to be Phra Ram (Rama), Nang Sida (Sita) and Phra Rak (Laksamana), the main characters of the Ramayana epos.

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The Vegetarian Festival or Kin Jay is a time of penance and purification of both body and mind.
The Phang Nga Vegetarian Festival is similar to the well known Vegetarian Festival in Phuket and Trang.
The Vegetarian Festival is held from the first through the ninth nights of the ninth Chinese lunar month; that is, in September or October. In 2013 these days are from September 25 until October 7. The Vegetarian Festival has its origins in China, but in Thailand it was performed for the first time in Talat Takua Pa, the Old Town of Takua Pa.

Not only in Old Takua Pa but also in the villages around the believers in Chinese Buddhism celebrate the Vegetarian Festival clad in white garments.
Highly interesting is the festival also in the Chinese temple of Khuk Khak where highly respected mediums make their appearance.

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The Tsunami Memorial of Nam Khem is built at the rivermouth of Takua Pa river out into the Andaman Sea.

This highly impressive Tsunami Memorial was built by Thyssen-Krupp from Germany. It is designed with a real floating fishing boat and a long wave shaped corridor where the names of victims are displayed as chosen by their relatives.
The solemn structure is well integrated in a public health park together with a Prince of Chumphon Shrine in honour of the founder of the Thai Navy.

You drive all the way through the rebuilt fishing town Nam Khem towards the end of the river at the Andaman Sea.

You drive all the way through the rebuilt fishing town Nam Khem towards the end of the river at the Andaman Sea.

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When the Tsunami hit Ban Nam Khem on the 26th of December 2004 at 10.40 a.m. the big fishing vessel "Krisana Sakorn" was floating from the harbor into the village of Nam Khem with one Burmese man aboard.
When passing through the village the huge boat did not destroy any building nor did it overrun any victims in the water. Instead a father with his daughter in his arm managed to cling on to the boat and was subsequently rescued.
When the waters receded the big boat was stranded in the middle of the village like a dozen other fishing vessels.
The Krisana Sakorn together with its less fortunate counterpart "The Red Devil" just a few meters away became an attraction for visitors to Nam Khem and was transformed into one of several tsunami monuments in the area.


The location is to the left of the main road when driving through the outskirts of the town.
Its GPS location is 8.8601981, 98.2756450

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Bang Sak Beach is an 8 km long sandy beach lined by huge Casuarina trees. In the southern half two resorts nestle between the highway and the beach. In the northern half a panorama road skirts the beach with several seafood restaurants on the land side and sitting arrangements on the beach side. Bang Sak Beach is historically very popular among the people of Takua Pa who come here for lunch to enjoy the great food and the breeze.

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The Thai Life Coffee Shop is situated by the lakeside at Thai Life Homestay Resort in Bang Muang. The chef has learned his profession in various five-star resorts all over Thailand. His food preparations are outstanding. We highly recommend trying his Cordon Bleu.

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A beautiful part of Bang Sak Beach with no development to the north of the Le Meridien Resort.

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The Police Patrol Boat 813 was washed 1.3 km inland by the Tsunami of December 26, 2004. Eyewitnesses saw the boat under full power navigating against the huge wave, but nevertheless riding backwards across Bang Niang River and being stranded 200 meters from Phetkasem Highway. As it is impossible to move the big boat from there to the sea, it is left there as the most remarkable Tsunami Memorial. In 2012 a new road was built to the boat passing the Tsunami Memorial Sculpture "Stabile".
On December 26, 2004, the police boat 813 was safeguarding the daughter of the King of Thailand and her son, who as guests of the La Flora Resort were enjoying Bang Niang Beach. On various videos the boat is seen in calm waters, then being abruptly lifted up by the approaching wave. Still at that moment nobody could expect the extreme speed and power of the wave. Most probably the water was so full of air that the propellers of the boat could not exercise their full thrust.

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The "Khao Lak Museum" was created by the long time residents Franky Gun and Richard Doring, commemorating Khao Lak's 25th birthday. In July 2015 it was renamed to "Tsunami Museum Khao Lak" and moved to the road leading to the Police Boat 813, where many more visitors are aware of its existence. The museum shows the history of tourism in the Khao Lak region. Many hotels, restaurants, tour agencies, dive centers and other businesses of Khao Lak display their history since the year 1987, when the first tourist business, the Khao Lak Bungalows, was opened in Khao Lak. Other historical artifacts, maps, pictures and documents are also presented in the 40 square meter exhibition room.
The "Tsunami Exhibition" honors the efforts of the Khao Lak people and their friends to reconstruct Khao Lak in the year following the disastrous Tsunami of December 2004. Original documents show the help of the true friends of Khao Lak, help by means of donations for specific Tsunami victims and by goods that alleviated the severe pain of effected Khao Lak residents. Videos about the Tsunami in Khao Lak are displayed.
Entrance is free, a donation can be given at the discretion of visitors.
The museum guide, Khun Id, can give explanations in Thai and English. A glass of water is offered free of charge. At a counter in front of the museum competent staff from T-Tour gives information about the attractions in the Khao Lak area. They can also arrange a taxi for visiting Tsunami related memorials.

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The Poh Ta Khao Lak is a shrine on the mountain heading south out of Khao Lak.
The so called "Shrine of the Khaolak God" is situated opposite the police station. Every car driver who knows about the existence of this shrine, honks his horn three times to honor the shrine and to ask for a good trip.
Many local people come here to make offerings in various forms: incense, fruit, firecrackers, paper money, garlands, ceramic statues. They are placed in front of the various statues that are honored here.

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Ma-Ma (Mr.Lek) liegt direkt am Pakweep Beach. Dahinter fuehrt die geschotterte Beach Road vorbei. Das Restaurant hat etwa 12 Tische aller Art mit unterschiedlichen Sitzmoebeln. Vorn am Strand und neben dem Restaurant stehen 28 Liegen aller Art. Zudem gibt es eine Dusche aussen. Wie in allen Restaurants am Pakweep Beach sind die Preise nicht ueberzogen und die Atmosphaere ist sehr angenehm.
Die Handynummer gehört Mr. Adisorn Sarak.

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Takieng Restaurant is situated next to the police-boat Tsunami Memorial in Bang Niang. They serve authentic Thai food, including tom yam and seafood. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and the staff very friendly. The owner is from Uttaradit in the north, so many dishes have a touch of northern food.

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The National Park Restaurant is run by a cooperative of Khao Lak. The location is in the middle of the jungle under towering trees with a breathtaking view of the Andaman Sea. Sometimes squirrels are around, often birds, very rarely monkeys right from the jungle. The Thai food is excellent. Four dishes are declared Fast Food in the menu, and they are prepared really fast, and are very cheap in addition. Many Thai families come to eat here as well as groups of employees of Khao Lak businesses. A few steps away is a very clean toilet. The jungle path to Hat Lek Beach starts in between. On a very clear day we have seen from here the tip of a mountain on the Similan Islands.

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The Free The Turtles Fair is annually held in March at Thai Mueang Beach. The celebration lasts for 7 days. During the festival baby turtles raised by the Fisheries Department are released into the sea at Thai Mueang Beach. Guests are asked to sponsor one or two turtles so that the cost for raising them is covered.

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To see the giant Rafflesia in the mountains of Khok Kloi, you have to get information from the Kamnan of Moo 7 first. If a Rafflesia is in bloom, you are up to an adventurous trip off road by motorcycle, not for the faint at heart.
The trip goes up for half an hour, then a not too strenuous walk for another twenty minutes. There are always several blossoms in various stages of bloom. Only for 7 days a Rafflesia is in full bloom, then the flower becomes black and soon disintegrates.

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The huge black statue of a revered monk sits beside the highway H4 east of Takua Thung.

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The main attraction of Wat Khaojaroentham is a huge banyan tree that is supposed to be over 100 years old. It spreads in a mangrove forest with hundreds of stems. A walkway leads through the mangrove forest and the banyan tree. This fairytale scenery gives a fantastic impression of tropical jungle.
The temple compound houses also a giant statue of a monk. Offerings are presented to the smaller copy in front.
Wat Khaojaroentham is situated near Takua Thung only 500 m from the highway.

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Tham Pung Chang is a large cave passing all the way through Khao Chang in the south of Phang Nga town.
There is a stream flowing in the middle of the cave with both shallow and deep areas. If desired, sightseers can wade through the stream, ride on a raft or paddle one of the available canoes. It takes about 1 hour to travel to the other end of the cave and visitors are advised to wear shorts and rubber sandals.
This area of Tham Peung Chang is one of two sanctuaries for Kitti bats which are the smallest bats in the world and were first found in 1973 in Thailand's Kanchanaburi Jungle.

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The Chedi above Wat Thamtapan affords a panoramic view of Phang Nga Town and the limestone rocks in the environs. This extraordinary panorama shows that Phang Nga Town is located in one of the most beautiful locations of all provincial capitals of Thailand.
The 144 steps up to the chedi were for years the favourite toilet of the local monkeys. Therefore tourists rarely visited this exceptional viewpoint. It seems that most of the monkeys live somewhere else now so that the climb up to the chedi is really rewarding.

The chedi with its slender spire towers above Wat Thampapan in the west of Phang Nga Town.

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Phang Nga Bay National Park covers a vast area of about 250,000 rai (100,000 acres) both onshore and offshore, including parts of Amphoe Muang, Amphoe Takua Thung, and Amphoe Koh Yao.

It was declared a national park on 29th April B.E. 2524 (1981). Phang Nga Bay National Park is the second seacoast national park after Tarutao National Park. It has striking scenic views because of a mass of limestone formations scattered around in the sea near the shore. Also, as a result of natural changes, caves and rock formations have been formed.
The park is also fertile with mangroves. The best time to visit is between December and April and the most popular way to see around the National Park is to take a boat ride through the area.


Phang Nga Bay National Park is situated 12 km from Phang Nga Town.

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James Bond Island or Koh Tapu is the most famous tourist attraction at Phang Nga Bay National Park. In 1974 several scenes of the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun, starring Roger Moore, were shot here.

James Bond Island can only be viewed from Koh Khao Phing Kan. As James Bond Island is a part of Phang Nga Bay National Park every visitor needs to pay the entrance fee.

James Bond Island is located in Phang Nga Bay National Park.

James Bond Island is located in Phang Nga Bay National Park.

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Koh Panyi is a small island in the Bay of Phang Nga. Koh Panyi consists of a tall limestone hill and a small plain land area. This is a Muslim community. It is well known in Thailand for being built on stilts by Indonesian fishermen.

The population consists of roughly 200 families or between 1500 and 2000 people who descended from two seafaring Muslim families from Java. The settlement at Koh Panyi was established at the end of the 18th century by Indonesian fisher families. Around the village are floating baskets to keep fish in the water. There are also many restaurants, a school, souvenir shops and a few tourist residences on the island. The Muslim people here are still today fishermen and sellers of souvenirs and preserved seafood. Their main income nowadays derives from being a "must" stopover for the many tour boats passing to the famous James Bond Island.

Koh Panyi is in Phang Nga Bay, which is situated between Krabi and the island of Phuket in the south of Thailand.

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Koh Hong (Room Island) is a limestone island completely surrounded by a cliff so that it looks like a huge hall with one entrance. There are many islands like this in the Bay of Phang Nga.

Access to these islands is only by a narrow cave. Due to the low cave roof, only kayaks can get through the channel at a suitable water level. Entering the sunlit hall from the dark cave gives an immense feeling of the creative power of nature. The unique experience of entering this natural wonder in solitude will remain with you for the rest of your life.
The area is also good for swimming.
The first person to detect the hongs inside the towering limestone cliffs was John Gray, an adventurous American. He had seen similar rock formations on Fiji and investigated the Bay of Phang Nga with the first inflatable sea kayak. He then started his sea canoe company in order to show other nature lovers this marvel. In 1991 Richard and Ursula Doring were among his first highly impressed customers and subsequently described their experience in the Loose Guide Book.

Most hongs are in the Bay of Phang Nga and can be accessed with one of the numerous sea kayak tour companies from Phuket or on a Phang Nga Bay Tour from Phuket, Khao Lak or Krabi.
So far only the private 5 Highlight Tour, organized by Yui and Gaeng from Sita Garden in Khao Lak, visits the hongs without any other tourists in the area.
Several islands along the Andaman Coast are called Koh Hong due to their natural features. All of them are certainly worth a visit.

Most hongs are in the Bay of Phang Nga and can be accessed with one of the numerous sea kayak tour companies from Phuket or on a Phang Nga Bay Tour from Phuket, Khao Lak or Krabi.
So far only the private 5 Highlight Tour, organized by Yui and Gaeng from Sita Garden in Khao Lak, visits the hongs without any other tourists in the area.
Several islands along the Andaman Coast are called Koh Hong due to their natural features. All of them are certainly worth a visit.

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The Krua Sam Chong Restaurant is built on stilts in the waters of Phang Nga Bay at the end of a long pier. The restaurant is surrounded by oyster farms. Besides Seafood also Thai Food is served and a home stay is offered.

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The Dairy Hut Seafood Restaurant is another highlight in the restaurant scene of Phang Nga. The remarkable building is situated in the south of town near the Shell petrol station beside the road to Thap Put. The building with the pointed roof is located in beautiful landscape beside a small lake with Nipa Palm trees below a limestone mountain. All furniture is aesthetic and strong. Thais seem to prefer to eat in the air-conditioned room whereas the terrace beside the lake attracts guests of all walks of life. The background music is of an unobtrusive volume. The immense menu is a piece of art with all dishes attractively photographed. Naturally the seafood dishes take up most pages in a variety that I have never seen before. Other dishes are a wide spectrum of the Thai cuisine as well as a large variety of international specialties. Our first test revealed that each dish ordered was first class, the presentation as well as the taste. The free drinking water was continually refilled, a nice trait of the Thai food culture in general. Naturally the price range is in the upper region but still far below the typical prices in an upper class tourist hotel. We will surely come back soon to enjoy another meal in the Dairy Hut Seafood Restaurant.

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The Bang Pat Homestay Restaurant is situated in the fishing village Bang Pat which is built on stilts at the edge of a mangrove forest with great views of the Phang Nga Bay. The access road from the highway H415 ends after 10 km on a large parking area with free parking. From there a long walkway and motorcycle bridge leads to the village on the other side of the tidal river. The main walkway leads to the left passing various shops and ends at the Bang Pat Homestay Restaurant. Especially at weekends hundreds of Thais come here in groups to enjoy the absolutely fresh and delicious seafood dishes. The variety of dishes placed on the large tables is just stupendous. From here you can also make your Phang Nga Bay trip as far as James Bond Island, with a much more individual note. Just ask the owner of the restaurant. He will arrange everything while you are feasting.

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Than Boke Khorani National Park covers an area of 37.5 rai. The Park is covered by a diverse canopy of various species of tree, such as wild gardenia, Asoka, and Apocynaceae that are scattered around Sa Boke Khorani.

At the north end of Sa Boke Korani, which flows through a winding passage in the mountain, is a wood carving of Lord Buddha's footprint and a shrine of Chao Pho To Yuan - To Chong. Other attractions in the park include several limestone mountain caves, verdant mangrove forests and beautiful islands which can be reached only by boat. Admission fee for adults and children are 200 and 100 baht per person. The Park does not provide accommodation, but camping in the park is allowed although tourists have to bring their own tents. For more information, Tel. 075-681071, 075-682058.

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Tham Klang is one of the most beautiful caves in Thailand. It is very easily accessible and poses no danger whatsoever.

Tham Klang features the most beautiful stalagmites and stalactites of different kinds that can be visited in less than one hour. Most remarkable are the grisly hair stalactites of one to two millimeters in diameter. Absolutely unique are the stalactite hairs dangling from the ceiling invisible to the unsuspecting eye. Other highlights in the cave are the "Viewpoint" and the "Dome", the small fishpond at the "end" after 45 minutes in the cave, and the myriads of drinking straw stalactites growing from the ceiling 2 to 3 meters in height.
For cave freaks we mention that the cave is said to be 4 hours deep, but such a trip has to be arranged long in advance, best with the guide Gaeng and the cave freak Richard from Khao Lak who are waiting for an expedition to be put together.

Turn off at KM stone 144.4 of highway H4, just 4 1/2 km south of Ao Luk junction. Drive 1 1/2 km down the asphalt road until the turnoff to the left which leads to the entrance within a few hundred meters on a gravel road. Next to the parking area is the resident guide's house. There are two caves accessible from the parking area. The right one an underground river which is said to be navigable by canoe for 2 hours. The left one is Tham Klang whose entrance is nearly hidden behind some greenery.

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Aree Seafood Restaurant is situated in the mangroves to the west of Ao Luk.

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